Match-box.



E. E. FORD.

MATCH BOX. APPLICATION FILED APR.22, I916.

Patented. July 10, 1917.

TE EAEE PANT FTQE,

ELIOT E. FORD, 0F NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR O33 ONE-HALF TO HARRY A. MURRAY, 0F NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

MATCH-BOX.

naaaeio.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July MP, 1917..

Application filed. April 22, 1916. Serial No. 92,804.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELIOT E. FORD, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Newark, county of Essex, and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Match-Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a match box, and is particularly adapted for holding packages of matches that are usually made of paper and are held together at one end by a paper folder which has on one of its faces an ignition surface, the folder having on its other end a flap which is adapted to be normally folded over the heads of the matches and slid underneath the flap that holds the ends of the matches together. These packages are the ordinary packages of matches used in commerce, and they are not in themselves new, but when used in conjunctionwith the present match holder, they act to assist in the positive operation of the device.

The invention relates to a match holder adapted to receive the packages above described, which holder has a jaw under which the fold of the match packet is slid, the match packet when in place being adapted to engage a spring fastened to the jaw so that the jaw is normally pressed down to a position where it is adapted to press a match head placed underneath it so that the match head is against the ignition surface of the packet of matches. The spring is arranged so that it acts asa stop or shield to prevent any lighted particles or the burning head of a match to fly back into the packet of matches to ignite the remaining matches and to more securely shield the fingers, the fingers being still further shielded by the jaw itself when it is swung upward. The jaw preferably has a finger portion bent at a slight angle to give a better grip and to also form a means against which the spring bears and by means of which it is fastened.

The match box is preferably made of metal, and can be of different forms and in diflerent ways, but I illustrate a match box in the accompanying drawing which shows one embodiment of the invention,

In said drawing, Figure 1 is a vertical section through the match box without any matches in it. Fig. 2 is a similar view but showing a packet of matches in elevation, the matches having been placed the box and when in position acting to give a backing to the spring whereby the jaw is normally held shut. Fig. 3 is a top view of the match box as illustrated in Fig. 2. Fig. 4: is an end View of the match box showing a slightlv modified form of body portion.

The body portion 10 is preferably made of non-combustible material and sheet metal is preferably employed, the sheet forming a bottom 10 of said body portion, the body portion having side walls 11, an end wall 12 and an end wall 13, the end wall 13 be ing high enough to act as a stop to limit the insertion of a packet of matches, and being usually short enough to permit the free and unobstructed passage of a match over the ignition surface of the packet, as will be hereinafter described. A jaw is pivoted preferably to the side walls 11, said jaw comprising a plate 1 1 with side wings 15, the side wings 15 and the side walls 11 being pivotally connected by suitable pins or rivets 16. The plate 14 extends to the rear of the pivot to a material extent and preferably has an upturned lip 17. A spring 18 is secured to the jaw, one manner of securing said spring in place being to rest its end against the under side of the lip 17 and fasten it by any usual means, such as soldering or the like, or it can be fastened by clips or teats 19 which are integral with the lip 17 and are bent over the edge of the spring 18 to hold it in place. The lower end of the spring 18 is preferably curled as at 20 to prevent its catching on the packet of matches when the packet is either inserted or withdrawn. When the box is empty the jaw can swing freely, as will be evident from an inspection of Fig. 1, the spring being under no strain and thus being relieved of any function unless a packet of matches is inserted. The packet of matches is of the usual kind, consisting of a folder comprising a back 21 having a comparatively short fold 22 on its end, which flap is fastened to the back 21 by staples or in any other usual manner, said staples passing through the ends or butts 23 of the matches 24:, the back of the folder 21 being folded over to form a top flange or cover 25. The packet of matches is inserted in the box from the rear, that is, it is inserted underneath the spring 18 from the large or higher end of the match box and the thickness of the packe't'is such that the end of the packet represented by the folded part 22 engages the spring 18 and forces the spring to yieldingly swing the jaw to the position shown in Fig. 2, this being accomplished because the end of the spring terminates short .of the plane of the pivot 16 so that the spring tension on the rear end or finger end 17.0f

the jaw 1 1 is upward and the other end is pressed downward. The swinging end of the jaw is above the ignition surface 26 which is placed on the top face of the folded pa 22 of the packet of matches.

When a match is to be ignited it is torn from the packet, the match box is held in one hand, the thumb of which pressespdown on the finger-piece or lip 17, which pressure overcomes the spring 18 and the jaw is raised to permit the head of the match to rest on the ignition surface 26, and when the fingerpiece is released the jaw 1 1 firmly engages the head of the matches so placed, and when a match is pulled longitudinally from between the jaw 14 and the ignition surface 26 it is lighted, the passage of the match being easy because the end wall 13 is short enough to prevent its interfering with the withdrawal of the match from its lighting position. The spring 18, and particularly its folded end 20, extends substantially the full width of the jaw 14, being brought close up to theside walls 15, and in this way a trans verse wall or shield is provided to prevent any heads that happen to come off or burning detached particles of the heads from flying back underneath the jaw and igniting the other matches in the packet if the flap 7 25 had been left open in the lighting operastruct or hinder the withdrawal of the packet.

In Fig. 4 I show a slight modification illustrating one form of packet which has an ignition surface 27 on the bottom face instead of the top face of the folded part 22 of the packet of matches, access to said ignition surface being possible by reason of the bottom 10 of the body portion being cut' away as at 28.

It will be evident that the particular arrangement of the parts need not necessarily be as illustrated in the drawing in this application, and whether the jaw is on thetop or on the bottomvof the body portionis immaterial so long as it is in a position to cover the ignitionsurface when in its normal position so as to protect it from wear and dirt and to uncover said ignition surface when removed or tilted from its normal position.

WVhile the jaw and the spring are shown and described as being fastened together, it

will be evidentthat theycan be made integral, and the rear end of the jaw if folded backupon itself and arranged to project downward toward the bottom of the body .portion will act substantially the same as when the device is made of two separate pieces.

Having; thus described my invention, I claim:' i

1. A match box comprising a bottom and side walls, "a jaw pivoted in said side walls, said jaw; having an extension in rear of its pivot, saidextensi'on forming a thumb-piece,

anda spring securedto said thumb-piece and extendingdownwardly and forwardly whereby said springis without tension when the box is empty and is supplied with tension by 'ajpackageof matches when such package is inserted in the holder.

2. A matchbox comprising a body por tion to receive al packet of matches, a jaw swinging on the body portion, the packet of matches being adaptedto haveits ignition fold underneath the jaw when the packet is in place,'and a spring fastened to the jaw and depending therefrom in rear of its pivot, whereby the spring is given a tension to yieldingly hold thecj aw shut when the packet isin position. 1 V

3.. A match box comprising abody portion having an open top to hold a packet of matches, the body portion having side walls, a hinged to theside walls, and a spring fastened tothe rearendofthe jaw and depending therefrom in the path thatmust be pursued by apacket of matches when it is inserted in the holder, said spring being normally without tensionbut being supplied with tension by engagement, of a packet of matcheswhen said packet is'in place.

4. Ainatch box comprising a body portion having an open top, a jaw swinging on said body portion, the body portion being adapted to receive a packet of matches of the usual lkind with an; ignition surface underneath said jaw, and a springdepending from the rear portlon ofsa d aw and extendlng substant ally across said aw in order to engage the packet ofmatches to form a shield and to give a tensiontotlie spring tonormally hold thejaw shut.

' 5. A match boxjcomprising' a body portion having an open top, ajaw' hinged to the side walls ofthe body portion and having a lip at theback thereof, and a spring approximately as wide as the jaw and depending Itherefrom said spring having a curled lower end and being longenough to be engaged by 7 A match box comprising a botton and side walls, a jaw pivoted in the side walls and having an extension in rear of said pivot, and a spring of substantially the same 15 width as the jaw, said extension forming a thumb-piece and also a means whereby said spring is secured at its rear end to the jaw.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing, I hereto set my hand, this 20th day of 20 April, 1916.

ELIOT E. FORD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0.

a packet of matches inserted in the holder whereby the spring is given a tension to yieldingly hold the jaw shut.

6. A match box comprising a body portion adapted to hold a packet of matches, a tilting jaw above one end of said packet of matches which contains an igniting surface, and a shield on said jaw adapted to be pressed in engagement with the packet of matches when said jaw is swung to uncover the ignition surface. 

